The Enlightened Experience: Collected Teachings, Volume 3

Volume 3 of The Enlightened Experience series features three discourses given by Lama Yeshe at the Sixteenth Kopan Meditation Course held at Kopan Monastery, Nepal, in November–December 1983. Lama Yeshe had arrived at Kopan just before the end of the meditation course and although he was very ill, he gave these teachings, along with a refuge ceremony and the bodhisattva vows.

Lama gave his first teaching which is presented in this ebook as Practicing Dharma in the West: Q&A with Lama Yeshe. In this question-and-answer session, Lama offers essential advice to students on how to integrate Dharma when they return to the West. In response to a question about Christianity, Lama discusses the principles of loving kindness and compassion, which are fundamental to all religions. Lama continues with advice on relationships and explains in simple terms the meaning of Dharma, the importance of bodhicitta, the power of holy objects and the qualities of the Buddha.

The next discourse, on December 9, 1983, is entitled The Peaceful Path to Liberation. In this extensive teaching Lama discusses the inner refuge which enables us to have a satisfied and happy life without depending on our external environment. He explains the meaning of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and gives an overview of the five lay precepts, the bodhisattva vows, equilibrium meditation and the tantric path. The teaching concludes with a refuge ceremony, in which Lama clarifies the correct motivation as well as the essential meaning and purpose of refuge.

In Lama Yeshe’s final discourse, on December 10, 1983, he teaches on bodhicitta, which he describes as a universal meditation that is especially suitable for Westerners. Lama urges students to change the attitude of self-cherishing into a determination to hold others dear and benefit them as much as possible. In the second part of this teaching, Lama discusses two ways of taking the bodhisattva vows according to our level of commitment and concludes with a motivation for taking the vows.

Lama Yeshe was a pioneer in bringing the Dharma to Westerners and the teachings in this ebook demonstrate his understanding of the Western psyche and his ability to express profound truths in simple terms.